1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ink jet printing mechanisms. More particularly, the present invention relates to an integrated ink jet maintenance and paper pick system.
2. Description of the Related Art
All-in-one machines typically perform functions such as printing, scanning, copying, and faxing in either a stand alone fashion or in conjunction with a personal computer and define a growing market for peripheral devices. These devices eliminate clutter in a business or home office by combining the desirable functionality of various machines into a single unit, while maintaining an affordable cost. Various all-in-one machines currently in the marketplace use thermal inkjet technology as a means for printing received fax documents, original documents, and copied or scanned images or text.
Thermal inkjet printing devices, as part of all-in-one or multi-function peripherals, utilize consumable inkjet cartridges in fluid communication with a printhead to record text and images on a print media. The printhead typically moves on a carriage relative to the media path and a control system activates the printhead to selectively eject ink droplets onto the print media. A heater chip heats the printhead causing selective ejection of ink for printing an image, such as text, photo, line art or some combination thereof.
Various ink jet print systems utilize a maintenance or service station which includes a wiper mechanism for wiping away particles accumulated on the printhead orifice plate, and a receptacle or spittoon into which the printhead periodically fires to purge dried or plugged nozzles. The spittoon collects ink droplets sprayed from the printhead during the clearing process. The service station may also include a mechanism to cap the printhead nozzles when the pen is not printing. Typically, the cap mechanism encloses the exposed outer surface of the orifice plate defining the nozzle array, to help prevent drying of the ink at the nozzles, and prevent contamination with dust.
In prior art ink jet printers having the above discussed technology, the wiping action is typically “east/west” wiping. The term east/west is not to be understood as literal but merely a designation of directional movement along one axis within a printer. Such east/west motion utilizes the existing motion of a print carriage within an ink jet printer to maintain the orifice plate of the printhead.
In new designs, the printhead heater chips require that the orientation of printhead wiping occur in a perpendicular “north/south” direction. Again, the term north/south should not be taken literally, but instead should be understood as a direction which is generally perpendicular to the printhead operating motion previously described as east/west. This design should also provide a capping function as well as allow for spitting of the printhead.
As with many printing devices, efficiency is an important parameter for performance. The media throughput is an important measure of efficiency. The addition of a pick motor, separate of the feed motor, is known to increase efficiency. However, additional motors cause increased manufacturing cost which is undesirable. Therefore it is preferable to utilize an existing motor to operate the maintenance system.
What is needed is a maintenance system which allows for the wiping maintenance function to be performed in a preselected direction of movement. It is also preferable that the maintenance system be driven by a motor which also drives the media picking system.